1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of fabricating a memory device and, more particularly, to a method of fabricating a nonvolatile memory device which forms a structure for operating silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide semiconductor(hereinafter referred to as “SONOS”) cells before a logic circuit is fabricated, not affecting characteristics of an existing logic circuit.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, there are two categories in semiconductor devices, namely, a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The volatile memory again includes a dynamic random access memory (hereinafter referred to as “DRAM”) and a static DRAM (hereinafter referred to as “SDRAM”). One characteristic of the volatile memory is that data are maintained just while electric power is being applied. In other words, when power is turned off, the data in the volatile memory disappear. On the other hands, the non-volatile memory, mainly a ROM (Read Only Memory), can keep the data regardless of the application of electric power.
From the point of a view of the fabrication process, the non-volatile memory is divided into a floating gate type and a metal insulator semiconductor (hereinafter referred to as “MIS”) type. The MIS type has doubly or triply deposited dielectric layers which comprise at least two kinds of dielectric materials.
The floating gate type stores data using potential wells, and is represented by an ETOX (Electrically erasable programmable read only memory Tunnel OXide) used in a flash EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).
The MIS type performs the program operation using traps at a bulk dielectric layer, an interface between dielectric layers, and an interface between a dielectric layer and a semiconductor. A Metal/Silicon ONO Semiconductor (hereinafter referred to as “MONOS/SONOS”) structure mainly used for the flash EEPROM is a representative MIS structure.
A conventional SONOS memory device comprises a tunnel oxide layer, a trap nitride layer and a block oxide layer on a P-type silicon substrate, and a gate deposited thereon.
In the SONOS memory device, a program operation is performed by FN (Fowler-Nordheim) tunneling or directly tunneling electrons so that the electrons are trapped at a predetermined site in the trap nitride layer, thereby increasing a threshold voltage. An erase operation also moves the electrons by various tunneling ways such as the FN tunneling, the direct tunneling, and trap assisted tunneling so that the electrons are withdrawn to the P-type silicon substrate, thereby decreasing the threshold voltage.
However, the conventional memory devices comprising SONOS cells entirely affect, particularly when SONOS cells are fabricated, characteristics of fabricating process of a logic circuit, which means that additional circuit verification steps such as parameter measurement by SPICE (simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis) are required.